Decoding Lesson Plans

Students practice decoding messages given the key. They continue to practice solving messages without a key. They must determine the best way to view the message. They examine secret messages during World War II.

Primary readers learn reading strategies. They will choral read a poster or big book, predict covered words, and learn various reading strategies for figuring out an unknown word. They will gain an understanding of the alphabetic principle to associate sounds with letters so they can decode tricky words. Strategies are taught using context, rereading, pictures, and chunks.

First graders improve their reading and spelling skills by better understanding the relationship of the decoding and encoding processes as they apply them to one-syllable words. After a lecture/demo, 1st graders practice using a worksheet imbedded in this plan

Students apply reading strategies. In this reading lesson students read a passage and utilize strategies for decoding the text. They infer during reading to find the meaning of vocabulary words. The students self-question as they read and check using a cueing system.

Looking for an interactive roll playing lesson? Young actors practice reading and rereading decodable texts with expression. They interact with the play, "The Boy Who Wanted the Willies," by Aaron Shepherd within this lesson. An expression evaluation sheet is also filled out after reading and performing the play. Note: Great for teaching expressive reading.

Second graders practice decoding unfamiliar words by completing a worksheet. In this literacy lesson, 2nd graders examine reading passages to find unfamiliar words and decode them with a partner. They read a passage about musical instruments while determining the main idea and supporting details and completing a worksheet with the information.

Fourth graders use their decoding machine to find the value of their spelling words. Encourage partners to create a message for each other to decode.

Review skills listed on the board to help learners with decoding skills. Then, read a short story about string instruments, skimming sentence by sentence and circling all unknown words. Next, they focus on the main idea and naming the supporting details and determine what the passage is mostly about. The passage is not included, however any text could be substituted, informational or fictional.

Learn how to decode multi-syllable words with accented syllables. The whole class discusses the accent for two-syllable and three-syllable words. The worksheet mentioned is not included, but a teacher could create a list of grade-appropriate multi-syllable words as a replacement. A text comprehension activity ensues, and again, the text is not included, but any book could be used in conjunction with the script of questions provided. 

Third graders explore how to use various decoding skills while they are reading. They practice decoding unknown and uncommon words they come across while reading a text. Students read to follow directions. They discuss times when they have read directions and practice reading and decoding directions with a partner.